When Bill Bolling took a back-seat in order that Bob McDonnell could run for Governor of Virginia he was admitting he was not the primary or best choice. That he believed and expected that the Insider-Powers-That-Be in the Republican Party could give him his turn to run for Governor irrespective of whom the Voters of Virginia would want or how they wish to choose indicates he exercised a very self-centered and self-serving disregard for We the People. He was also declaring he was a pawn for those Insiders who, if truth were known, really did not have respect for Bill Bolling. In their mind Bolling was little more than a GoFer.

Now rumor has it that Bill Bolling plans to stand before the Republican State Central Committee whose membership was chosen by you and me and tell them, hence you and me, that he deserves to be the next Governor, that he wants a costly Republican Primary for Governor at the expense of the Virginia Taxpayers, and that the RSCC had better do as he tells them or he will sue. Never mind that the RSCC is the governing board of authority for the Virginia republican Party. In other words, Bill Bolling is throwing a childish, mean-spirited tantrum in total disregard and entire disrespect for the Republican Party and those of us in the Republican Party who have the right and the responsibility to decide who will be the Republican candidate. Bill Bolling is demonstrating a degree of arrogance and disregard for Republican Principles that clearly states why he should not be the Republican Candidate.

Wait, why would holding a primary and letting the voters decide be against Republican principles? Isn’t it better to let the voters have the say than party insiders? Or does this only count when the party insiders are people who support the other guy?

We have an open primary in VA. Conventions work better for those of us who want to get rid of the ossified GOP establishment. Primaries give the Establishment the advantage because of name recognition and funding. Convention delegates are better informed and they will bear the burden of supporting the nominee in the general election. They are the ones manning the phones, knocking on doors, and contributing money.

In this case, it matters little since Cuccinelli will defeat Bolling in a primary or at the convention. It would be better if Cuccinelli did not have to spend money for a primary, which is much more expensive. Bolling is doing this out of spite. He would like to see Cuccinelli go down to defeat in the General Election for having the temerity to challenge him.

I already planned to vote for Cuccinelli, not because of anything Bolling did or did not do, but because Cuccinelli has repeatedly shown real courage on a number of issues which most folks who follow are familiar.

No, it is not the same committee. The composition has changed dramatically with the elections this year. There was no reason for the RCCC to make the decision in October 2011 except that it was dominated by establishment types. There was plenty of gnashing of teeth among many of us that this decision was premature and unnecessary. It was taken to lock in an unpopular decision.

In congressional district-level conventions held throughout the state, pro-convention candidates gained seats on the state central committee with support from tea party activists and backers of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul. Cuccinelli endorsed many of the winners, but Bolling was not as active in the committee elections.

I know all of that, I read the same article as your second paragraph comes from.

I agree it was premature, but it was done and candidates have been operating under the impression there would be a primary is all I’m saying.

I understand all the arguments both pro and con on both sides. And even after 9 years, I’m still uncomfortable with Virginia’s policy of open primaries. OTOH, convention politics left me with a seriously bad taste in my mouth after all my years involved in the GOP of Delaware. I know, I know, VA is not DE (Thank the Good Lord,) but living on the Eastern Shore we kind of get left out. Many of us, for various reasons can’t come to Richmond........

My preference is Cuccinelli and I have no intentions of arguing against them if on Friday they opt for a convention - I was just expressing an opinion.

I have attended conventions here in VA. The last one we defeated Hager as Chairman and put Jeff Frederick in. The Establishment couldn't tolerate the change and concocted some phony charges to remove Jeff a few years later and put one of their own in. We fell just a few votes short of getting Bob Marshall the nomination over Gilmore. The Establishment doesn't like conventions because they can't control the delegate selection process.

I'll be voting for Marshall on Tuesday and will attend the convention on the 16th.

I remember that whole mess with Jeff Frederick and what the establishment did to him.

To be honest, I’ve given up on the Accomack GOP. I joined at the first opportunity I could after I moved here in ‘03. I basically got drummed out of the women’s group and when I tried to rejoin the main group in ‘08 -— let me put it this way, I’m still waiting to hear from them.

For obvious reasons, I’ve got no use for the Establishment.

Thank you for taking the time to explain the “nuances” to me. I understand where you are coming from, and now I agree with you, which I didn’t when we started this conversation. Good luck at the convention - I’ll be rooting for you.

I’m still voting for Jamie tomorrow, but I have no ill will against Bob Marshall and wish him luck.

Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.